gist JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/dʒɪst/ · gist
noun
- The most essential part; the main idea or substance of a longer or more complicated matter; the crux. After a long discussion, she finally grasped the gist of the proposal.
- The essential ground for action in a lawsuit, without which there is no cause of action. The plaintiff's claim lacked any legal gist, so the case was dismissed.
- A resting place, especially for animals; lodging. The shepherd led the flock to a safe gist beneath the ancient oak.
verb
- To summarize; to extract and present the most important parts of something. Could you gist the meeting minutes for the team?
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The verb ‘to gist’ is a modern back‑formation from the noun and only entered common usage in the 20th century, especially in legal and journalistic contexts.